Gaming Center Owner Sentenced for Obstructing Justice in ISIS Case

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An owner of a Fairfax gaming center was sentenced to prison today for obstructing justice and making false statements involving international terrorism.

Michael Queen, 28, of Woodbridge, was sentenced to 2 years in prison. According to court documents, Queen and Soufian Amri, 32, of Falls Church, lied to FBI agents to prevent them from learning about and investigating their friend Haris Qamar’s attempt to travel to join the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Queen and Amri knew that Qamar had attempted to travel overseas to join ISIS in 2014, yet they lied to and misled the FBI by saying that the only person they knew who might travel to join ISIS was a “tall, thin, Indian” individual. Queen later told Qamar that Queen and Amri gave the FBI the name of a Hindu individual as someone who might support ISIS. Queen told Qamar, “I’m never going to throw a Muslim underneath the bus to try to do the right thing.”

Qamar was sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison on February 17 for attempting to provide material support to ISIS. Amri is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gordon D. Kromberg and Colleen E. Garcia prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-50.